Priestess
by bauble123
Summary: Saskya is a Valond priestess - the next seer, in fact (she can see past, future and demons). When the Eagles locked her in the cellar with the rest of them, she was very annoyed. In fact, this led to her demanding reward - which she got by getting Aida and the gang to agree to take her travelling with them.
1. Chapter 1

One

Hi. My name is Saskya and I'm a priestess, or at least I was a priestess, at a temple - the temple - on Valond mountain. I guess I'm special because I can see into the past and future, properly, too, with eldritch voices and diamond-bright images and all that jazz - not like old Atia who can't focus on the present and is short-sighted in her second sight so her visions come out all blurry. I was supposed to take over from her - I probably still will.

I'm only writing this down because the moon elf told me too. I mean, I'm not writing it so people will read it. That would be just plain weird. I suppose I'd better tell you who I am, then. You know, I hate being pitied, but it doesn't seem to stop everyone from doing it. I tell them my story and they all go "aw, you poor thing" and try to be extra specially nice to me. It's really annoying.

Right, then, my story. My parents died just after I was born and, since I had no other family, I was sent to the orphanage at the local temple. They taught us stuff there, about God, and languages and all sorts. I suppose you'll think "oh, she was at a temple orphanage school, that'll be why she's a priestess, they were training them all up." but that isn't it at all. They tried to teach us useful trades - sewing and such, you have to feel the calling and decide to be a priestess when you're older - unless you're me, of course.

So, how I got found out.  
I was sitting next to this girl in a lesson - Lily, her name was - and I suddenly had this vision. She was turning and twisting in complete turmoil, because there was a demon inside of her. It was weird, and it scared me, to be honest. The teacher - Sister Amoria - I think it was, was standing up at the front, and she must have noticed me staring at Lily with a horrified expression, because she came up to my desk and tapped me with her ruler. I shuddered.

"Saskya!" She screeched in my ear. "Are you listening? Concentrate, girl. Can you even tell me the name of the possessed person I was just describing?" I couldn't and, since they had always taught us that honesty was the best policy, I said so.

"No." I said, bluntly. "But Lily has a demon inhabiting her." Her face then - it was priceless, a mixture of shock, horror, disgust and worry. It was against policies to ignore my claim, but she clearly didn't believe me. Actually, I admire her for coming up with a plan that quickly. It was a pretty good plan, too, or at least it would have been if I had been lying. As it was, we were all in for an experience we'd never forget.

"I sincerely doubt that, Saskya." She said. "But this will give us the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the exorcism rite." She motioned Lily to come up to the front of the classroom. The demon obviously didn't want to do that, but I guess knowing that she might soon be rid of it gave Lily the strength to over-ride it, and so she walked hesitantly down to the board.

The teacher lit a match and set it to the tall tallow candle that stood on her desk in readiness for the end-of-day ceremony. The flame flared up beautifully in sunset orange and scarlet, dancing and glimmering, surrounded by a shimmering heat-induced haze. Then, explaining each step objectively as she did it, the teacher performed the exorcism rite. She finished, and was just telling the class smugly that there was evidently nothing wrong here when Lily began to scream.

I can't exactly describe that piercing, unearthly shriek but it almost sounded as if the sky was being ripped apart, or the seas torn violently from the earth. It was dreadful but fascinating and none of us could look away as Lily fell to the floor. She jerked violently, as if pulled by an invisible string, and her blue eyes faded and shone a blinding white. Then a misty crimson shape drifted up from her stricken body. The teacher gave a high pitched squeal and prudently went at the shape with the still-burning candle. It vanished with a harsh, hellish screech, and left the teacher standing there, holding the dripping waxy candle and Lily lying prone on the floor.

The teacher put the candle back on the desk, as Lily sat up, rubbing her head. "Are you okay, Lily?" The teacher asked, cautiously. Lily nodded.

"I'm fine." She said, standing up slowly. "Much better, actually. Thank you. That thing's been plaguing me for years but it wouldn't let me tell anyone and no-one ever noticed, until..." All eyes in the room swivelled to stare at me. I bit my lip, nervously.

"Saskya," Said the teacher. "I think I'd better take you to see Mother Isadora." I shuddered - Mother Isadora terrified me, as much as everyone else in the school. She was a tiny, thin, crow-like woman with a hooked nose and wrinkled cheeks. Since she was such a small woman, we had all been shocked when we had heard her full voice. A girl had laughed during an assembly and she had turned the full blast of her temperament on her. She had fair yelled at the girl - with a voice that ought to belong, we thought, to some huge, burly man, or perhaps a dragon. We had all been horribly afraid of her ever since.

The teacher beckoned me after her and we left, walking together down the corridor. After navigating through the seemingly endless labyrinth of corridors in the temple complex, we came to a dark green painted door with a brass door knob. My eyes were drawn to the shiny bronze plaque embedded in the door, bearing the legend: Mother Isadora, Headmistress and Chief Protector. That was what they called them, there - "chief protector". It was a post that went hand in hand with that of head mistress. As we were constantly reminded, it meant that they had to protect us at all costs - all the teachers were called protectors too. They used it as an excuse - everything we do is for your own good, to protect you, girls, it's our duty, they would say whenever they punished us. Their punishments were okay; they tended to involve helping out with extra chores and having to do confession sessions...everyone hated confessions. They interrogated you.

The teacher nervously reached up and knocked twice, politely on the door.

"Come in." came a sweet, honeyed voice from within - that was the thing about Mother Isadora. She seemed like such a sweet old biddy, in spite of her beakish nose, but when you looked closer, when the facade dropped, she was awful. The teacher stepped inside. I didn't dare follow her. It was just as well when, after a few moments, she put her head around the door and told me to wait outside. The door shut soundlessly behind her and I was left standing stiffly outside, apprehensive as a convict before sentence is passed.

I could hear muffled talking from inside and, desperate to know what was going on, I moved closer, my ear to the door. My head was then very nearly squashed against the wall as the teacher came out, looking relieved. I just about managed to wriggle out of the space before bits of my brain ended up splattered on the white-washed walls.

"You can go in now." She said, brightly, turning to me as I stood recovering against the wall. She ushered me into the room, then left.

Mother Isadora was sitting in a straight backed chair that loomed over her tiny figure. "Sit down." She said, smiling. I sat, perched on the edge of the chair. She leaned her elbows on the desk and pulled her chair in, coming closer. I had a sudden urge to recoil and run, but it was far too late for that now. "So, I understand you were learning about demons in class today, Miss Devonne." I nodded. "So," She continued. "What did you learn?"

"I learnt what an exorcism looks like, Mother." I said, in a mousy voice.

"Did you indeed? And what did it look like?" She asked, almost laughing.

"Horrible." I replied, truthfully. She laughed. It sounded tinkly - like glass beads being dropped into in a bone china vase, or rain on a window pane.

"Indeed. Now. Miss Lily had a demon, we see, but who alerted us to this fact, Miss Devonne? Who?"

"I did." I whispered.

"Indeed you did." She said, a dangerous smile curving up the corners of her thin mouth. "But the question, my dear, is how exactly did you know this?"

"I had a vision." I muttered.

"Excuse me?" She was imperious as ever.

"I had a vision." I repeated, unwilling to release the information willingly.

"Speak up, girl!" She almost shouted, obviously irritated.

"I had a vision, all right!" I blurted out.

"You had a vision?" She asked, the smile returning to her dry, pinched lips

"Yes. I have them a lot." I said, defensively. "I bet lots of people have them."

"No," She replied. "They most certainly do not." I sat awkwardly, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. "What kind of visions?" She asked, curtly.

"Of...stuff." I said. It's hard to describe, to someone who's not seen them. "The past, and the future." I added. A wide grin spread on her gaunt face.

"Yes!" She cried. "We have found our new seer! Go and pack your possessions, Miss Devonne. You're going to the high temple!"

And that's how it happened, really. It seems awfully quick and, well, it was. I had no idea what was going on; you didn't learn about all the seers and that until you were older, I found out later. I was only about twelve at the time. I packed all my stuff, and then I was taken by Mother Isadora up to the high temple. Everyone else must have had a high time of it, with the old bag away, but I had to endure a full week's journey with that smug, sly witch.


	2. Chapter 2

I remember arriving at the temple quite vividly. We had been travelling for about a week, Mother Isadora and I, over land and sea and then, of course, up the steep, icy slope of the mountain. I froze half to death in my thin school uniform. Our uniforms consisted of a white cotton shirt that was so thin it was almost non-existent, a grey knee length pinafore, a pair of stockings and second or third hand boots whose soles were usually worn so thin you could feel the textures of the ground beneath your feet through them. We hadn't cloaks or anything, and tended to just sort of huddle for warmth in winter.

Anyway, after seven days' worth of no-one for company but that old hag - by which I mean Mother Isadora, of course - I was, understandably, getting a little down. Mother Isadora does that to a person. You know what galled me most, though? Mother Isadora was wearing a great thick old fur-lined cloak over her priestess uniform. Can you believe that? She didn't even offer me anything of the like, even though I was the new seer and a hundred times more important than her. Sorry, I'm ranting again, aren't I? The moon elf tells me I do that quite often, actually. It's rather likely, I suppose.

We came to the top-most peak where the temple stands at about tea-time. You could see the sun begin to set. It was just level with the tip of the temple roof, and sinking slowly lower and lower, bringing the land beneath gradually into darkness. It gets light late and dark early, on top of the mountain, because the sun has to rise a fairly long way before we catch it's rays, and then it goes away from us at sunset and, because we're higher up and it's out of our reach sooner, we experience a thoroughly shortened day. Mother Isadora marched up to the gate way and called out a greeting in the old tongue. I suppose she must have said hello, but I hadn't learned the ancient languages yet so it sounded like mush to me.

I was actually rather surprised when a woman came to the gate. She had straight black hair down to just above her shoulders, high, prominent cheek bones making ridges in her milky skin, and eyes slanted towards her nose, so she looked a little cross eyed.

"What request hath thee?" She asked, in a funny, foreign-sounding sing-song voice.

"I request admittance." said Mother Isadora, bluntly. She suddenly looked rather shabby, in this majestic setting, and I realised she probably wasn't half so scary as we had thought her. "I bring you what you need."

The woman nodded, and opened the gate, leading us along a path and through a green painted door into a square courtyard, surrounded by walls that were clearly buildings with crimson tiled roofs and golden figurines on top. I was a little upset, actually. I'd been expecting to go to the bit of the temple you saw on post cards: you know, the brown, dull-looking wooden bit with the lanterns where the ascension rite is supposed to happen. I laugh at myself, now, for thinking that. That bit is old magic, and seriously powerful - they wouldn't have let a novice like me in there for a million gold sovereigns.

We were taken to a gap in the walls that was covered by a fine curtain of worked gold. I still love that curtain. Of course, I didn't realise the significance of that place then - I'd barely heard of the seer, let alone the partition. I was ignorant, and I still had more than a lot to learn. The woman turned to us and said, in her melodious voice:

"Stop. Go no further to this place. The seer must be notified." We stood, stunned. Mother Isadora was hit hardest, I think. I don't think she'd ever been refused entry to anywhere in her entire life. After the woman had gone through, she stood stock still, looking daggers at the curtain. Probably not a good idea, that; the partition may not be as strong or ancient as the ascension temple, but it does have more than enough magic to go round.

After a few minutes, the woman returned. "You may go through now." she said, ushering us in through the gilded curtain. I stood next to Mother Isadora, biting my lip nervously and looking down at my feet in their worn-through boots.

"Sit." commanded an imperious looking priestess with long blue-black hair slicked back into a high, tilting bun. We obeyed, and sat on the cream-coloured cushions that surrounded the place. I began fiddling with a golden tassel on one, but Mother Isadora put a stop to that by giving me a sharp rap on the back of the hand.

"No, no, she doesn't know nearly enough to do that - you know how important the magic is over there." Said a wavery voice. It came from an old woman who sat in the midst of the crowd of priestesses, on a silver beaded pillow. She was hunched over like an old woman in a story book - in fact, she looked to be an elderly lady straight out of a fairytale. The kindly one that offers the lost princess shelter - you know the sort. The trouble was, what she was saying made no sense whatsoever. A young priestess holding a bunch of slightly wilted dandelions tapped her on the shoulder.

"You've got your foresight going, Mother Atia." She whispered, in a soft, kindly voice, a daughter helping the increasingly senile mother through the last stages of dementia.

"Oh, have I?" Said the woman now identified as Mother Atia. "Darn it. Stupid thing. I'm getting old. Good thing we've got a new seer on hand."

"What?" Cut in the imperious priestess. "We've no new seer! What are you talking about?"

"Oh, haven't you been told yet?" Quavered Mother Atia.

"No!" The priestess snapped. "We most certainly have not." She was like a magnified version of Mother Isadora. This seemed to be where I came in.

"I'm the new seer, apparently." I broke in, nervously. Mother Atia gave a burst of cackling laughter, followed by an awful lot of dry, raspy coughing. The young priestess with the flowers patted her on the back.

"How do you know?" Asked the priestess who had snapped at Atia.

"Well, I have visions." I explained. "Past and future - and I saw a demon in a girl in my class." The priestess looked at me in utter disbelief.

"It's true, Esther." cackled Mother Atia. "I've seen her. In a dream." For a moment I wondered how she had recognised me, but I guess I look pretty distinctive. I have pale skin, and freckles, and violently curly pale brown hair with a funny ginger streak at the side. It looks weird combined with my eyes, which are a kind of teal colour but flecked with specks of gold. I'm very narrow, in face and body, with angular, sticky-out cheek bones.

They had to take Mother Atia's word for it, because she was the seer. I could see that the stately one - Esther - really didn't like me. I was going to be in for a hard time, but I was definitely destined to be the new seer. Atia had said it, and now it was basically law.

Mother Isadora left shortly after that, smiling at the success of her pupil. She was closely followed by the imperious priestess, who stalked out huffily, grumbling under her breath about extra provisions. Once she was safely gone, Mother Atia turned to the various priestesses standing behind her. "Off you go, everybody." she cackled. "Mildred, can you run and get the girl something to eat? You can see she's starved, and that old witch won't have fed her anything decent." A priestess with chestnut hair in two buns on the side of her head nodded and bowed to the old woman as she left. The young priestess with the flowers who had helped Atia got up to leave, but Atia put out a hand and pulled her back down. "You stay, Miriam. You're shaping up to be the next head of this place, and a good head too." She turned to me. "Now, down to business. What do you think we mean by a seer?"

I thought about this. To tell you the truth, I didn't really know. "Um...someone who sees stuff?" I said, stupidly. Mother Atia looked at me incredulously.

"Really? Is that all you know?" she asked. I nodded, looking at the floor as if it were extremely fascinating. She shook her head wearily. "What are we to do?" Miriam raised her hand.

"If you will permit me to interrupt," she said, in a sweet, soft voice. "Perhaps Sister Phoebe could teach her when she returns with supplies? She is very knowledgeable, and we do have her for information. Surely this is what we have the library and so on for."

"Mm, yes. Actually, that's a perfect idea, Miriam. We shall do that. Show her round after she's eaten, would you?" Atia said. "And speaking of that-" She was cut short by a blonde head poking through the side of the curtain. "Priscilla?" She asked, indignantly. "What do you want?"

"To tell you that the girl's supper is ready and to ask if Miriam can be excused. Sister Esther's having a melt down because she can't find fresh sheets."

"They're hanging out to dry on the Solomon arch." Miriam said. "I'll show you, Prisca, if I may be excused, that is...?" she added, looking to Atia who nodded resignedly. I followed her and the blonde priestess - Priscilla - out of the room.

"Your supper is just this way." said Priscilla, leading us across the court yard. "It's awfully odd, having a girl with us. I suppose you'll be assigned the rank of daughter. It's strange, seeing someone as small and pretty as you as the next seer, after old Mother Atia." Priscilla seemed to be the type who talked incessantly. "I'm Sister Priscilla by the way, though if I like you you can call me Prisca. I didn't catch your name."

"I'm Saskya." I told her. "Saskya Devonne."

"Oh my!" She cried. "What a lovely name!" We had come to an open door on the other side of the court yard. Priscilla led us in. There was a large table, with places set for...I counted rapidly...nine or ten. A priestess with plum coloured hair and two thin plaits was standing bent over the table, putting a glass of water next to a plate on which were a few slices of bread and some chick-pea stew. "Ah, Ana!" cried Priscilla. "Can you take Saskya for me? We have to sort out the sheets for Sister Esther." The priestess nodded. "Thank you! Life saver." Priscilla called, rushing out with Miriam.

I was left in the dining room alone with the priestess. She smiled warmly and gestured over to me. "Come and sit down." she said, pulling out a chair. I went and sat at the table, pulling the chair in with my legs. She sat down in the chair next to me as I began to eat.

"I'm sorry that's all you've got to eat." she said, apologetically. "Sister Phoebe's gone out to get supplies. She'll be back tomorrow, I expect. My name's Ana." She added. "You're called Saskya, right?" I nodded, finishing my food.

"Thanks." I said. "I was famished!" She laughed.

"So, you're going to be the new seer, huh?"

"I suppose so. I don't really know what one does. Phoebe's going to be my tutor, I think."

"Oh, right." she said. "That makes sense - she's terribly knowledgeable, our Phoebe." Then a shadow drifted across the door. Miriam came in.

"Saskya!" she called. I whipped around. "I'll show you around now if you want."

"Oh, yes please." I said. She smiled, beckoning me over. We walked out into the court yard and across to the next door. I was shown everything: there was the kitchen with its painted wooden cupboards, the music room, filled with harps and boxes of wood-wind instruments, the worship room, its slatted floor covered in mats and low stools, the prayer area, smoky with the scents of burning incense. Eventually we came to the side of the courtyard that was taken up by dormitories.

"You'll probably be in here." Miriam said, opening a door. It was medium sized, with a cream coloured rug and two small pine beds propped up against both walls. There was a chest of drawers, too, a book case and a mirror. "You'll be sharing with Phoebe. I don't know though - it depends what Sister Esther decides. You probably ought to go and wash before the evening service. It starts in ten minutes, so you'd better hurry. The bath-room's at the end of the corridor." She pointed to a white-washed door.

I walked down the corridor and washed my face and hands. A loud, reverberating gong sounded, and I assumed that that meant the service was about to begin. I hurried across to the worship room, and slipped in at the back. The service proceeded like any other: prayer, a few hymns, a talk, and then - and this was the only abnormal bit - a "special announcement".

"We have been gifted a great present by the gods." Sister Esther proclaimed. "A new seer has come among us. We give thanks for this gift, for which we have prayed for much time." I shifted uneasily on my stool. After the service, Sister Esther grabbed me as I tried to leave.

"So, girl. Do you know the rules?" I shook my head.

"There is to be no unnecessary noise, and no running about. You will sleep in Sister Phoebe's room. Do you know where that is?" I nodded. "She will return tomorrow morning. After breakfast, you will go to your room until she comes to find you."

"Yes, Sister." I replied, wearily. She handed me a pile of white linen.

"This is your robe. You will wear it tomorrow. Breakfast is at 6:30. Be down on time." she barked. I went to my room and fell instantly into a deep sleep, weary from all the information and my week of travel.


	3. Chapter 3

Breakfast was awkward - I can tell you that, for a start.I mean, I was sat with all those priestesses - Sister Esther being all prissy and proper, Mother Atia laughing at her and making jibes, Miriam and Prisca sharing looks and Ana looking at me with a helpless sorry-but-what-can-you-do? expression etched on her face. I just about managed to get through it alive. At the end, as Sister Esther began to sit down after prayers, the door crashed open. A girl came in, looking around. Ana, the priestess I had met yesterday, stood up quickly, knocking her chair back against the wall, and ran over to the girl. They embraced, laughing.

"Miss me, An?" the girl asked. She was clearly another priestess; she was wearing a white linen robe. She surveyed the rest of us. Her eyes stopped as they came over me. "Who's this?" she queried. "New intern? Errand girl? Head girl of one of our schools? Work experience?"

"She's the new seer, Phoebe." Ana said. This was Sister Phoebe then, I thought. Phoebe raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"That's something," she said, clearly at something of a loss for words. "When's she taking over, Mother?" She looked towards Mother Atia, and I noticed a playful, joyful gleam in her eye, and a happy twitch to her mouth, as it curved into an amused smile. Phoebe was an enthusiastic, friendly, bubbly kind of person, who was friends with just about everyone - not accounting for Sister Esther, who hated everyone - except, perhaps, for Miriam.

"Ah, not for a while yet." Atia cackled. I was relieved. "I've still got some life in me yet, Phoebe-child." Atia always called Phoebe 'Phoebe-child'. It was odd, but old people have quirks, don't they? Always have, always will.

"What's your name, new seer?" Phoebe said, turning to me as she picked a roll up from the table and broke a piece off, munching it thoughtfully.

"Saskya." I said. "And I'm guessing you must be Sister Phoebe."

"Give the girl a sweetie - she got something right." Phoebe joked, in between bites. "Yeah, that's me - I'm the librarian and all round bookworm knowledge girl here." she explained. Sister Esther had been seething the entire time. Now she turned to Phoebe, icy cold.

"You will be teaching Daughter Saskya." she said, drawing herself up to her full height...which was not very tall, and trying to look imposing.

"Oh, right."

"And I suggest you start immediately." It was clear what she meant: clear off, and do it fast. We did as we were told. I got up and walked out with Phoebe. She lef me to the library.

"So you're the inhabitant of the other bed in my room, then." she said, when we had settled ourselves in one of the nooks.

"Yep." I said, inspecting her. Sister Phoebe was petite, with short red hair that curled in at the cheek. Her eyes were big, and hazel, her nose snubbish and a little pointed, and her cheeks were speckled with freckles, much like my own. She was very pretty, in an intelligent sort of way, and you could see how clever she was from her shrewd, calculating features. She was nice though - that too could be seen. I can read a lot from looking at people. For example, the first time I saw Tillie, I knew that she was the type to play with fire, and to cause trouble, possibly accidentally-on-purpose. Till's nice too - in fact, she's a lot like Phoebe. I think if Phoebe were an elf she'd be Till, and if Till were a human she'd be Phoebe. My mind works weirdly like that sometimes.

"Funny, we weren't expecting a new seer for a while yet - and we were definitely expecting them to be older. Anyway, I suppose I'd better be teaching you stuff. What do you know about our religion, and the priestess order?"

"Not all that much."

"How about the seer?"

"Absolutely nothing. Atia's one, right? And I'm supposed to be the next one...um...it's to do with these visions I have, isn't it? Seeing the future, and demons and that?"

"You've got a bit. I'm going to have to teach you one hell of a lot before you're ready to become our new seer though, I can see that much."

"Sorry." I held my hands up in mock surrender. "I wasn't expecting this - my life was supposed to be growing up, leaving the orphanage and going and becoming a seamstress, or a shop owner or somesuch."

"Orphanage?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, yeah - no family for me. Parents died and I ended up in a convent orphanage and school."

"How'd they find out you were a seer?"

"I had a vision...we were doing demons and exorcisms and I saw this demon in my classmate - Lilly - the teacher did the exorcism rite, almost as a joke, and it...well, it worked."

"I get it. Right, lessons, then. We'll start with the theory of Ascension - what we believe in," Phoebe began, setting down to business. She went over to the shelves and threw a book down. I caught it deftly in one hand.

"What's this?" I asked, opening it and flicking through the pages. They were crammed with tiny, close-printed text.

"Book of Ascension."

"And that is?"

"Holy book of the Valond priestesses."

"Oh, right - I get you." Then she explained it all. I can't write it down in Phoebe's words, exactly, but I'll do my best to make you understand.

It's all to do with the old kingdom. There was this funeral rite sort of thing. Instead of burying an old king or queen's body, they took it up to the temple to us - the priestesses, I mean - and cremated it - burnt it, like, and one of us had to pray over the ashes and watch them so the spirit would ascend to heaven, or wherever they were supposed to go. Some races were re-incarnated, most people went to Heaven, and nobles joined the Silver Order. You know, that ageless, nameless army of unthinking, unfeeling creatures that are barely people. Oh, wait, silly of me - of course you know. Well, if you're the moonie - sorry, Zander, I mean - or any of the others travelling with me you will. It was how you met me, for goodness' sake. They mostly did it for kings up here. Commoners had it done at their local temple. Makes sense, really. Up here, you're closer to the sky. It means a short, safe journey to immortality for your good old dead monarch, right?

It's all about everlasting life.

Oh, and I should probably explain what a seer is while I'm at it. I'll quote the Book of Ascension, for a start: 'In every generation there is one amongst them who has been chosen by the Holy One and given the ability to see the past, future and present within a single mind, and to recognise the true being in every creature." The second bit probably refers to the whole seeing demons thing. No-one's sure though. That passage goes on literally forever and Phoebe made me read every single word. Three times. I'm still sour about it, and I don't normally hold grudges. 'And she shall be anointed, and held in reverence, to help all those who seek faith and knowledge, to see the face of God and to share it.' 'She shall be burdened with great knowledge, and it will be both blessing and curse...' et cetera, et cetera. You get the picture. Chosen one, that's me.

I spent three years in the temple, and I learnt a lot, about everything: the magic of the Temple, how to see properly - real visions, how to centre my power (I still have nightmares about some of those sessions with Atia...the ones where she made me heal the demon-possessed pilgrims. It was horrible.) and so on. All about religion. How to deal with Sister Esther (ignore her and pull rank). I had just turned fifteen when it happened.

It was time: I was ready to harness the magic of the old temple - the wooden bit that you see on postcards, you know. That magic is ancient, and powerful, and dangerous. Only seers can truly experience it...and that's me. I was going to have [i]the[/i] vision. The one that all seers have. It has to do with the old kings, and the silver order, and everything. You see the whole history of Arunia, all of it, and of the old kingdom. You pass by every monarch that has ever ruled, see every person that has ever lived and ever will live, hear the dark secrets and all. It only lasts a minute or so to the outside, but inside it's centuries. Only...mine was interrupted.

I had just started when they came - the men in black. The Eagles, I suppose they were really. They rounded us all up and went to lock us in the basement. I didn't move - I couldn't. I was rooted to the spot. I couldn't see what was going on, or hear it, or anything. All I knew was that the mist of ages broke, suddenly, into a blinding white flash of light and pain that was edged with red. I collapsed to the floor, screaming with the pain of it. I can't explain that pain in terms that would do it justice. It was like lying underneath burning coals, being crushed by the weight of the universe, while lying on a bed of red hot pins, jabbing and poking into me. Things flitted through my head at breakneck speed: all the harmful, hurtful visions seers have ever had. I died, over and over, in the bright darkness. I choked, and drowned, and was hanged, and stabbed, and blood leaked out of me, and the breath left my body, and bleeding hands held themselves over my nose and mouth. I gasped for air. And all the while, Diego slung me up and threw me down into the cellar.

The visions carried on for eternity, or at least it seemed that way.

When I finally awoke, I was crying. Crying harder than I ever have before, the ghost of a scream still lingering in my throat. Phoebe looked at me, concern all over her face.

"Are you all right? What happened?" she asked. I looked around. Most of the priestesses were watching me, concerned, with Prisca and Mildred leaning over Atia, who sat shuddering and shaking, in the corner. She pushed them aside with frail, bony arms, and embraced me.

"I felt it." she said, letting go of me. "Only some of it - and it hurt like hell. I can only imagine what you felt." I gulped down air, fighting the urge to vomit.

"It was...horrendous." I said. "I can't describe it." Then, "I - I died. Over and over. For eternity." tears continued to trickle down my face, and ice-cold sweat poured down my back and covered my body. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stood on end.

"I know." Atia said, soothingly. "Well, no, I don't. It's old, old magic up there - from the dawn of time, and of the world. Those thugs up there interfered with it. It's a wonder they didn't kill you."

For a moment, I wished they had.

It was then that all of you people I'm travelling with came. I assume it's one of you reading this. I shall go on, anyway, because I'm rather caught up in the whole business, and you might like to see things from my point of view.

A small face, with a wicked smile and green eyes edged by a silvery plait poked down - Aida, of course.

"You lot want to come up?" she asked. They all nodded meekly, and followed her up like sheep. I was having none of it. It took me a minute to get to my feet and follow them all - I was still weak and shaky from what I had just experienced. I stood up, shivering, and walked up after them. The rest of the priestesses stood huddled in a little crowd. I glanced at them contemptuously. Looking around, I recognised the man who had stopped the magic. I marched up to him and slapped him, hard, on the cheek. It made a resounding schluck sort of sound, and was quite satisfying. He bent over, holding his hand to the rising crimson welt on his face. The rest of them clapped their hands.

"Have you any idea what you just did?" I demanded.

"I was only stopping them bringing an apocalypse." he muttered.

"Whatever." I didn't care. "You broke the old magic. You put me through hell, more than once. I died for eternity because of you!"

"What?" the moon elf interrupted, coming over.

"Yes, what?" the red-headed dwarf echoed.

"He ruined the magics." I said, pointing a petulant finger at the cowering Diego. "And I was having The Vision. You wouldn't understand."

"The Vision?" queried the soft-looking brown haired girl.

"It's a seer thing." I told her. That's my stock in trade excuse. "And anyway, I think I deserve something for what you lot have put me through."

"She's a feisty one!" the silver haired girl from before remarked, laughing.

"We're not with him." the moon elf said, indicating Diego.

"Who are you, then? And for that matter, who's he?"

"We're just people." A blonde man, whom I had not previously noticed, said.

"Shut up, Jace." the brown girl said, scowling at him.

"Shut up yourself, Squirrels."

"It's [i]Sky[/i], you idiot." They began to bicker, getting louder and louder, before a tall bare-chested sun elf broke them apart.

"For Eanna's sake shut up." he said, his voice deep and low. The two separated, huffily, and stood glowering at one another on opposite sides of the ground.

"Nicely done, Faelern." the dwarf said, smirking. The sun elf stayed silent. That sort don't ever talk much, I suppose. The dwarf shook her head and turned to me.

"I'm Tillie." she said. "And these are my...friends." She looked around the group, dubiously. "Sky," she motioned to the brown girl. "Jace," the blonde man, "Zander," and the moon elf.

"Aida!" the silver haired girl interjected. "Half-noble and princess, apparently." I looked her over.

"I should have seen you," I said. "If that idiot," I pointed to Diego. "Hadn't spoilt it."

"And this is Seena." Tillie continued, bringing forward a small blonde lith girl. She was kind of cute, in a yicky way. I've never really gone in for small children.

"Seena is pleased to meet you!" the kid said, grinning. She came forward and hugged my legs, tightly. "Seena likes big girl." I wanted to ask why the kid was talking about herself in the third person, but I didn't have time.

"You know all of us, so what about you and your lot?" Aida said, keenly.

"Oh, right. I'm Saskya, and I'm the seer - well, I will be."

"The seer?" Zander questioned.

"Yeah. You know - spiritual leader, has visions and all that jazz, speaks with God?"

"No."

"Oh, well. You'll learn." I said, moving swiftly on. "This is Sister Miriam, Sister Mildred, Sister Esther," I gestured to them as I named them. "Sister Phoebe, Sister Priscilla, Sister Ana, Sister Anella...and Mother Atia - she's the current seer."

"So what are you?" Aida asked, ignoring the sulking Zander.

"What do you mean?"

"Sister or Mother or what?"

"Oh, I'm a Daughter - special rank."

"Right."


End file.
